Sidling up Norwood Road…

Hello, FEAST lovers, I’m your new coordinator, Charlotte. I used to work for the Herne Hill forum and still do things like the Herne Hill free film festival but I am now sidling up Norwood Road (this grimly delightful street on which I have lived for the past 15 years) into West Norwood to see what you guys are all about.

West Norwood has transformed (for me, I’m sure the rest of you know that already) from the place where I used to go for library books, dog biscuits and paint to somewhere that now has a plethora of interesting cafes in which I have met a plethora of interesting people, a MASSIVELY cool book and record bar (don’t even get me started on how much I am looking forward to the first Friday of every month) and even a Tardis masquerading as a gallery…

But enough about me and my ill informed youth, back to the business of this blog.

Soooo, it’s all been rather cold and wet lately, has it not? West Norwood high street is missing its FEAST. No worries, folks, the hibernation period is nearly over. Why, before you know it, spring will be here and those incredible people who make up your lovely community market will emerge stretching and yawning from their burrows (burrows?) to bring your first April FEAST.

That is still, I am aware, a very long month away… So the first thing I’d like to draw your attention to is a wonderful pre FEAST open day event at the Portico Gallery (23a Knight’s Hill) this Sunday that you can all come along to (with or without any children you may have acquired).

I Love FEAST, Sunday 2 March, 11am till 3pm.

There will be a pop up café, music, free stuff for kids to do (including a storyteller, I hear) and lots of information on how you can help out at FEAST. Come along, at least it will be warm and dry inside, no? And there will be cake.

Other stuff

Well, it’s all happening in West Norwood, isn’t it? Shove over Herne Hill and Dulwich, neither of you have a cinema AND a leisure centre coming to your high street (even if no one is quite sure when either will open…)

But that’s not the half of it. The Norwood Hotel is changing hands this month, to be taken over by a West Norwood resident and former FEAST trader, Dixie Union (not his real name)(he has a real name, but its not as good as ‘Dixie Union’). The pub is soon to be known as The Great North Wood pub (prize for anyone who knows why…) and it’ll have all sorts of real ales and lovely grub, as well as special offers for FEAST followers, so keep those social media eyes peeled. All in all, a very welcome addition to the top end of the high street (just please can we keep the pool table and jukebox?).

And it’s not just residents who are opening their beady eyes to the potential of WN…Antic (who run a cool pile of pubs, check these out) have spotted the area’s potential too and are taking over This, That and The Other (previously purveyors of all things fine and cheap) (housed in arguably the ugliest building along the entire length of Norwood Road) and making it into a family friendly pub. This they will be calling Knowles Of Norwood (second prize for anyone who knows why). If you’re interested in supporting this addition to the other end of the high street, there’s an open hearing re its license at 19:00 on 4 March at Lambeth Town Hall. Just saying…

Now, fine West Norwoodites, if you know or hear of anything else happening in the neighbourhood, be sure to let us know. We at FEAST social media HQ are happy to plug all things local and interesting. Keep in touch with us in all these myriad ways… hello@westnorwoodfeast.com, On Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook